1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reflective liquid crystal display apparatus, and more particularly to a reflective liquid crystal display apparatus not requiring a black matrix to shield light leakage around the photo spacer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) can be generally divided into light penetration type (transmissive) LCDs requiring backlight and reflective LCDs reflecting environmental light.
Many efforts have been made to increase the display quality of reflective LCDs. FIG. 1 is a cross-section of the conventional reflective liquid crystal display (LCD). Referring to FIG. 1, the reflective LCD includes an aluminum reflective layer 12 disposed on a substrate 10; a photo spacer (photoresist spacer) 14 disposed on the aluminum reflective layer 12; an ITO conductive layer disposed on the photo spacer 14; liquid crystal molecules 13 interposed among the aluminum reflective layer 12, the photo spacer 14, and the ITO conductive layer 16; a color filter layer 18 disposed on the ITO conductive layer 16; a black matrix 20 disposed on the color filter layer 18; a compensation layer 22 disposed on the black matrix 20; a protective layer 19 filled in the interfacial space; and a polarization plate 24 disposed on the compensation layer 22.
Still referring to FIG. 1, in the ordinary state, the light entering the reflective LCD is reflected by the aluminum reflective layer 12, passes through liquid crystal molecules 13, and is then emitted as image light A shown in FIG. 1.
However, during conventional reflective LCD fabrication, incomplete rubbing or residue deposition from rubbing easily occurs around the photo spacer 14, thus causing inferior orientation of liquid crystal molecules. The numeral 13′ indicates liquid crystal molecules with inferior orientation due to incomplete rubbing or residue deposition from rubbing. In this condition, the light entering the reflective LCD is reflected by the aluminum reflective layer 12, passes through the inferior oriented liquid crystal molecules 13′, and then emits out as light leakage B.
In order to alleviate the above-mentioned light leakage B shown in FIG. 1, a conventional method is to place a black matrix 20 on the color filter layer 18 to shield light leakage B from reflecting to the human eye. In this way, image quality will not decrease. However, an additional step of placing the black matrix is required, thus increasing production cost.